Mr. Speaker, I am being asked what would happen in such a case. For one thing, I would find it terribly sad if the community did not jump on a golden opportunity to take advantage of the spinoffs that belong to it.
I would think that, provided they are given a clear explanation, the vast majority of people will endorse this idea. Aboriginal people are proud people. They always have been. They were beaten down and lost their sense of pride. This is, however, the sort of thing that will give them their sense of pride back. Social assistance will not give it back to them, but owning their resources and using them to support their development will.
I sincerely believe this is precisely the sort of thing that will ensure that, one day, aboriginal people will take charge. Obviously, this will not happen overnight. After having been beaten down for several generations, a single positive gesture is not enough to recover, but they will over time and as their young people start enjoying life, work and contributing to their communities. Consequently, these small gestures will help them recover. Everyone, especially older people like me, finds that it is taking a long time. Still, it will eventually happen. This is how aboriginal people can be proud to contribute to the Canadian society as a whole.
Personally, I think that we have to keep hoping and continue, as we are doing now, to put forward rewarding initiatives which ensure a future for aboriginal people and make them wish for this process to continue.